Hypodermic syringe and cartridge therefor



OCt- 20, 1953 c. B. GooDsTl-:IN ET Al. 2,655,919

` HYPODERMIC SYRINGE AND CARTRIDGE THEREFOR Filed April 17 1951 INVENTORJ Patented Oct. 20, 1953 HYPODERMIC SYRINGE AND CARTRIDGE THEREFOR Charles B. Gcodstein, New Rochelle, and Myron B. Mittleman, Larchmont, N. Y

Application April 17, 1951, Serial No. 221,342

(Cl. 12S- 218) 15 Claims. t

This invention relates to hypodermic syringes and cartridges therefor of the type employed to effect injections and more particularly to a novel unidirectional autoaspirating syringe and component cartridge.

Presently, the approved technique of making hypodermic injections may be broken down into three steps. The rst step calls for the operator to insert the needle into the subject. There follows the second step of pulling back on the plunger of the conventional syringe so as to draw blood if the needle has tapped a blood vessel. If blood is so drawn, the needle must be withdrawn and steps one and two repeated. Only if no blood isl drawn may the operator proceed to step three which consists of the injection of medicament.

A substantial percentage of lsuch injections are made by technicians, i. e. persons of less training and sometimes of less willingness to observe established techniques to the letter than men and women of the medical and nursing professions. Especially this true of the Armed Forces where it is frequently necessary to perform mass procedures or where the corpsman in the field, in an effort to administer quick rather than lcomplete treatment, may omit step two. Hence, the Armed Forces, in particular, have long been searching for an autoaspirating syringe.

Diculty has been experienced in the admin-v istration of step two since, usually, an operator must release the grasp of one hand upon the portion of the subject being injected in orderV to pull back on the plunger. A partial solution has been to provide looped finger grips, but then an inability to keep the syringe steady while aspirating has been experienced. Hence, the importance of a syringe which both aspirates and injects by means of a `unidirectional stroke.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide a hypodermicsyringe capable of flrst'aspirating to test whether the needle has struck a blood vessel and `then injecting a charge ofmedicament, both operations being achieved by means of a unidirectional stroke.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such a syringe which will automatically aspirate uponA a partial stroke and then inject.y

upon the completionof said stroke. Y

`Still anotherobject of the present inventionis `the provision of a cartridge, as a separate ar-Vv ticle of manufacture, of use. as a component oia hypodermic syringe of either the disposable or rellable type.-r

A further object of the present invention is the provision of such a cartridge which While operablel unidirectionally will not only aspirate `automatically, but inject automatically as well.

A still further object of the present invention is the provision of such a cartridge which when uni-directionally operated is capable of delivering two separate doses of medicament.

Another and further object of the present invention is the provision of a unidirectiona1 autoaspirating syringe of simple construction, which may be easily and cheaply mass produced of uniform quality.

Other objects are lpresentedand Aa fuller understanding of the present invention maybe had by referring to the following expanded description and claims, taken in conjunction with' the accompanying Idrawing 'whichv illustrates preferred embodiments thereof, it being understoodthat the foregoing statement of the objects ofr the invention is intended to generally explain the same without limiting it in any manner.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a hypodermic syringe made in accordance with and embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional View of a modified form of a Vcartridge which may be used with the barrel shown in Fig. 1. l

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention.

Referring (to the drawing and more particularly to the embodiment of the present inven-v tlon shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it includes a barrel I| of preferably circular cross-section and fabricated of glass or a clear plastic composition, which is closed at one end except for a protruding hollow neck l2 in which neck and filling the hollow portion thereof, is rigidly mounted a hypodermic needle i3 by` means of beads I4. Said needle extends axially both within .and kWithoutlsaid barrel. v"Ilhe open end of barrel H termi-5 nates 1n oppositely `positioned normally extend-y l The lower end of aspiration chamber |9 is closed by a tightly fitting sealing plug 2|, a substantially cylindrical member of puncturable rubber having a lower annular peripheral flange 22 engaging the lower end of cartridge Il and an axially indented bore 23 on its upper surface aligned with a hollow tubular neck 24 extending from its lower surface so as to form a membrane 25 there between. The upper end of cartridge |'i and medicament chamber |8 is sealed by a similar tightly tting plug 26 having an upper annular peripheral flange 2l in tight engagement with the top of said cartridge and an axially indented bore 28 extending from its lower surface to provide a membrane 2S between said bore and the upper surface of said plug. The lower end of medicament chamber I8 andy the upper end of aspiration chamber I9 is closed by a cylindrical puncturable rubber plug 3S which rests on partition and has an axial bore 3| partially therethrough to form membrane 3'2 between the bottom'of'said bore and the lower end of saidV plug. AssemblyV of cartridge il is self-evidently made by pushing plugs 2|, 2S andV 39 into the positions shown in the drawing in tight frictional engagement with adjoining portions of saidcartridge.

To prepare cartridge for use, aspiration chamber I8 is evacuated and medicament cham ber I8 is given a charge of medicament and then a charge of gas under pressure. Although the method of preparing saidl cartridge forms no part of vthe subject matter of thepresent invention and although divers methods of evacuating and charging" the chambers may be emplQyed, Vin order to complete the present discios'ure one such method wil be described. Medicament 33 maybe poured into medicamentchamber I8', to a level not reaching the level of the lower end of plug 26 when inserted, before plug 26 is placed atop cartridge Il, the other plugs being in place. Said. chamber is then sealed by the placing of plug 26 thereover. The needle of a conventionalv hypodermic syringe, of the type consisting of a barrel in which a piston is pushed downwardly, and lled with air, is inserted through membrane 29 in plug 25 into the top of medicament chamber |8l and the contents of such syringe emptied into said chamber. This is effective to positively charge'the chamber, i. e. to raise the pressure in the chamber to a level higher than atmospheric pressure. To evacuate aspiration chamber i9, the needle of suchA a conventional syringe, while such syringe is empty, i. e. the plunger thereof being pressedV as close to the bottom o f the barrel thereofA as possible,I is insert,- edr through membrane into said chamber. The piston is: then pulled back thus sucking airfrom chamber I9- and effectively negatively charging said 'chamberyi e., leaving it in a state where thepressure therein is less than atmospheric pressure. It is apparent that the. amount of air added to medicament chamber 8 and the amount of -air withdrawn from `aspiration chamber I9 will depend upon the use tofwhich the present invention isput. Also, it might be desirable from the viewpoint'of some users to Vhave. an inert gas such as nitrogen instead: ofY air Vin medicament chamber |8.

In using the syringe, the operator first disen-- gages safety cap I6 so as to bare needle I3. The

needle is then introduced into the tissues of a subject in conventional fashion. Pressing down on Vthe Vtop of cartridge the operator causes the bottom of said cartridge to press against the topof needle I3`andupon theexertion of greater pressure causes needle I3 to pierce membrane 25 in plug 2|. As soon as the opening in the top of said needle clears said membrane and enters aspiration chamber I9, a sucking action takes place by reason of the low pressure in said chamber. If said needle taps a blood vessel, blood will be drawn into the aspiration chamber and the operator will withdraw the needle and may then repeat the insertion process with a new syringe. If the lower end of needle |3 is resting in muscle or other tissue and not in an artery or vein, no blood will be drawn into said aspiration chamber. Noting this, the operator then proceeds to the injection phase of the operation vmerely by continuing to push downwardly on the top of cartridge |1. This causes the top of needle 3 to pass through the aperture in partition 2i) and through membrane 32 in plug 3Q. Upon completing its passage through said plug, it enters medicament chamber |8, at which point, the medicament under pressure from the gas above it enters the needle and is pushed into the sub` jectsv tissues. Y n

The intervall necessary between the commencement of aspiration and the commencement of injection will depend to a great extent upon the degree oi expertness of the operator. With experience an operator may complete both steps with no interruption of an even downwardl pressure on cartridge l1, if no blood is drawn during aspiration. travel of cartridge relative to the barrel assembly, the syringe sequentially aspirates andv injects. v A

In employing the syringe shown-in Figs. l Vand 2 and described above, the operator must be careful to keep it in a vertical position while injecting, else air may enter the'needle'be injectedV into the subject and cause a painful and sometimesV dangerous result. The cartridge shown in Fig. 3V obviates the need forl such care. Here the tubular cartridge 3d is fashioned similarly to cartridge il (see Fig. l) being intermediately trans versely divided byl partition'Z-D into lower aspiration chamber It and upper medicament chamberA I8 withV sealing plug 35 respectively closing the bottomfandV top of saidl chambers. However, instead 'of plug 2|, a more simply made plug 35 seals the bottom of aspiration chamber i9, said plug having an axial bore 36VV extending from its upper surface to form membrane 3T between the bottom of said bore andy the bottom of said plug'. Beneath plug 35 is circular apertured section 3B. preferably of plastic lies over the lower end ofY cartridge 3d and forms the bottom thereof. Said section adds structural strength to the cartridge and the aperture therein acts as a guide for the entry of needle |3. Medicament chamber t8 is closed by a solid sealing plugrSS retainedin place by a plastic or metallic cap 48 which may be friction fitted, as shown," or made to 'possess threads. corresponding to? mating threads then formed along the upper wallsY of cartridge 34.. Said cap. 4B: has an axially locatedaperture M. the function of which will be presently explained; The most important element` ci difference'between cartridges 4fancllii lies in the additionto the latter of a preferably cylindrical pis ton mem ber 42, open at theA top and closed at the` bottom,`

In this fashion, by unidirectior'ial.

in while airtightly isolated Yfrom the remainder of said chamber.

Cartridge-34 is assembled in a manner similar to that employed in assembling cartridge I'I, with the addition, of course, of section 38, preferably fixed in place by an adhesive after plug 35 has been inserted and the insertion of piston member 42 after medicament 33 has been poured into medicament chamber I8. It is then prepared similarly except that in positively charging said medicament chamber, gas under pressure is introduced by a needle which passes through aperture 4I in cap 40 and plug 39. The gas enters piston member 42 and does not come into contact with either medicament 33 or needle I3 atany time. In order to insure that medicament 33 be prevented from creeping between the outside wall of piston member 42 and the inside Wall of medicament chamber I8 adjacent thereto and that gas not be displaced into the portion of said chamber occupied by said medicament, it is desirable that the top surface of said piston member and the lower surface of plug 39 be in sealed. relationship. To accomplish this despite the slight variances in the level of medicament 33 from filling to filling-and the consequent varying relative heights of the top surfaces of cartridge 34 and piston member 42, it is preferred that sealing plug 39 be quite yieldable so as to be readily forced upon said top surface of said piston member and retained in such position by cap 40. In operation cartridge 34 performs in precisely the same fashion as does cartridge I1 except that when needle I3 enters medicament chamber I8, the contents are pressed into and out of the needle by piston 42 Which in turn is actuated by the pressure of the gas between it and plug 33. In this embodiment, the syringe may be safely tipped while injecting since no air may reach the upper end of needle I3.

The forms of the present invention previously described have been each adapted to automatic injection as well as autoaspiration. However, there are applications for which manual injection, i. e. where the operator, instead of a column of gas under pressure, forces out the medicament, is preferable or even necessary. Fig. 4 illustrates a syringe adapted for manual injection. The barrel assembly is identical 'with that shown in Fig. 1. the same, as Well, except that plug 26 of the rst form is replaced by a slideably mounted piston plug 44 set within the upper walls of cartridge 43 and a plunger rod 45 surmounted by a head 46 is slideably positioned over said plug. Plug 44 is preferably similar to all of the other plugs employed in the various forms described,` which are made of a material, preferably rubber, puncturably by a hypodermic needle, compressible, so that they may be inserted within the cartridge employed to make airtight and liquid-tight seals with the walls of such cartridge ,and self-sealing so that if a needle is inserted in, passed through or removed from such plugs, neither gas or liquid will pass therethrough. When in the claims mention is made of self-sealing, or self-sealing Aand pierceable walls, 4reference is made to'such plugs.v For obvious reasons, plug 44 need not'be pierce,

able. Although not so shown, the sidewalls of piston plug 44 may be laterally grooved to facilitate-axial displacement within cartridge 43 and to improve the seal. are self-evident from the A material included above. In employing this form the operator in,- serts needle I3 intofthe-tissues ofl asubject and The cartridge 43 of this embodiment is Assembly and preparationthen presses downwardly upon head 46 of plunger 45. The liquid medicament being incompressible and the operator maintaining barrel II steady, such pressure results in a downward movement of cartridge 43 causing needle I3 to pierce membrane 25 in plug 2I producing aspiration. Upon the exertion of further pressure membrane 32 in plug3 is pierced at which point an outlet for medicament 33, under pressure transmitted through piston plug 44, is provided by needle I3. Said plug starts to move downwardly and pushes the contents of chamber 43 through said needle. Here again aspiration and injection are produced by a unidirectional displacement of the car-V tridge. In this instance, however, injection is induced by manual pressure rather than by a Dreviously prepared positive charge.

It is to be emphasized that the subject invention may be employed with throw-away syringes, or with syringes wherein the barrel assembly is kept, while cartridges are discarded after one use,` and additional cartridges are used for refilling purposes, or with permanently retained syringes wherein both barrel assemblies and cartridges are used and reused. The ease with which car.

tridges are refilled and charged, as exemplified in the method of preparation described above, facilitates this last manner of employment. On the other hand, since the simple construction disclosed enables manufacture at low cost, singleuse syringes may be economically used.

Then, too, if aspiration is not desired, the forms shown may easily be employed to deliver. two discrete charges of medicament. In such event only the procedure of filling and charging need be changed. For example, the syringe illusftrated in Figs. l and 2 might be so used if both chambers were loaded with medicament and airv under pressure introduced. The same is true of the form illustrated in Fig. 3. The form of Fig. 4 could be so employed if the lower chamber I9 were given the positive charge along with a lling of medicament while the remainder of the syringe remains as shown.

Although the subject invention has-beenA de...

scribed with a certain degree of particularity, it

is understood that the present disclosure hasvv been made only by way of example and that numerous additional changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement may be resorted toV without transcending the scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is: l. A hypodermic syringe including a cupshaped barrel provided with an aperture in its bottom wall, a hypodermic needle mounted'to:

said barrel through said aperture having ends projecting inwardly and outwardly of said barrel, and means dening first and second axially aligned closed chambers slideably disposed in said barrel, said first chamber being atleast chamber likewise self-sealing and pierceable so as to permit sequential entry of the inwardlyA projecting end of -said needleinto said chambers as said chambers are pressed towardfthe bottom wall ofv said barrel. 1

2. A hypodermic syringe as` describedin claim 1, said.v second chamber containing afchargeof` medicament and means, con'xpris'inggas .underv pressure within said second.chemin-ir,l to expel said medicament through said needle upon entry of saidinwardly projecting end thereof into said chamber. f v

v 3. A hypodermic syringe as described in claim Lsaid second chamber containing a charge. of medicament and means, to expel said medica ment through said needle lupon entry of said inwardlyV projecting end thereof into said second chamber, comprising a piston member arranged to slide vlongitudinally in said second chamber in sealing relationl with the interior thereof, said charge of medicament being contained between said piston member and the end wall of said second chamber confronting said first chamber, and a charge of compressed gas conned between said piston member and the remaining end of said chamber whereby when said inwardly projecting end of said needle enters said chamber, said compressed gas charge will operate to move said piston member against said charge oi medicament so as to expel the same through said needle.

4. A hypodermic' syringe vas described in claim 1, said second chamber containing a charge of medicament, and means, VVto expel said medicament through said needle upon entry of said inwardly projecting vend thereof into said charm ber, comprising a piston plug closing the end of said second chamber remote from said rst charn-` ber, saidplug being in sealing relation with the side walls of said chamber and mounted for longitudinalA travel therein, and means to enable the manual driving of said piston plug against said medicament so that when said needle enters said second chamber, said plug may be caused to move longitudinally within said. chamber to expel said charge of medicament through said needle.

5. A hypodermic syringe including a cupshaped barrel provided with an aperture in its bottom wall, a hypodermic needle mounted to said'barrel through said aperture having ends projecting inwardly and outwardly of said barrel, and means defining rst and second axially aligned closed chambers slideabl-y disposed in said barrel, said first chamber, being of a predetermined substantially fixed capacity, having end'v walls which'are self-sealing and pierceable by said needle and one of which walsy confronts saidneedle-andsaid second chamber having the wallvconfronting the `topuof saidV first chamber likewise self-sealing and pierceabie so as to permit sequential entry of the inwardly projecting end of said needle into said chambers as said chambers are pressed toward the bottom wall of said barrel, said rst chamber being at least pai'-t tially evacuated and said second chamber containing a charge of medicament, and means to expel said medicament through said needle upon entry of said inwardly projecting end thereof intoY said chamber.

6. A hypodermic syringe as described in claim 5, V said means to expel said medicament compris# ing gas under pressure within said chamber.

ing a piston plug closing the end Vof. said second chamber remote from said rst chamber, said 1 plug. being in sealing relation .with the side walls ofA said chamber and mounted for longitudinal travel therein, and means to enable the manual chambersaid-plugmay becaused to move longi 75;

8 tudinally within said chamber and to expel' said charge of medicament through said needle.

8. A hypodermic syringe including aY cupshaped barrel member provided with an aperture in its bottom wall. a 'hypodermic needle mounted to said barrel through said aperture having ends projecting inwardly and outwardly of said barrel, and a tubular cartridge lslideably mounted in said barrel, said cartridge being proV vided with top and bcttomwalls and a wall intermediate said walls so as to provide axially disposed closed chambers within vsaid cartridge, 'said chamber dened by said bottom and intermediate walls being at least partially evacuated, said bottom and intermediate walls dening a chamber of a predetermined substantially iixed capacity, and being self-sealing and pierceable by said needle so ask to permit sequential entry 'of the inwardly projecting end of said needle into saidY chambers as said cartridge is pressed toward .the bottom wall of said barrel` 9. A hypodermic' syringe as described .in claim 8, said chamber defined by said top and. inter mediate walls containing acharge 'of iilieitlicai ment and means, coliiprisiriggasy under pressure within said chamber, 13o-expel said medicament through said needle upon the entry of said in-f wardly projecting end thereof into said. chamber.

l0. A hypodermic syringe as described in claim 8, said chamber deiined by said top and inten mediate walls containing a charge of medicament and means, to expel said medicament through said needle upon the entry of said-inwardly profjecting end thereof into said chamber, comprising a piston member arranged to slide-longitudinally in said chamber defined by said top4 andY intermediate walls zin sealing relation with the interior thereof, said chargey of medicament bee ing contained between said piston member and the end Wall of said 4chamber confronting thek chamber dened by said bottom and intermediate walls, and a. charge of .compressed gas conined on the otherside of said piston 'member pressing: said member against said medicament, whereby n when said inwardlyprojecting end of said` needle enters said chamber through said intermediate Wall, said charge of compressed lgas will operate to move said piston V:member against saidV charge of medicament so as to expel the 'samethrough said needle.

; 1l. A hypodermic syringe including a cup shaped barrel member provided with an aperture in its bottom wall, a. hypoderm'ic needle mounted to said barrel through said aperturehaving ends projecting inwardly' and. outwardly of said barrel, and a tubular cartridge slideably mounted in said barreLisaid cartridge being ypruvided with top and bottom wallsA and a wall im terme'diate said walls so as to provide axially disposed. closed chambers within said cartridge, said bottom and. intermediate Vwalls *bein'gselfsy sealing and pierceable by said needle: seras'. to permit. sequential' entry. Se: the inwardly projects. ing end -of said needle .into-said chambers asI said: cartridgeis pressed-"toward the bottom; wall ofsaid b'arrelisaid.` chamber defined by'rsaict butL tom' and intermediate walls being asi-.fleastpar" tially evacuatedf.. and Abeing of. a predetermined substantially hired capacity, ,andi'saidi chamber defined kby safdtop aadiiitermeeiate waiiseem taining a :charge of f medicamenafand meansi'te expel said medicamentfthrough said needleupon' the entry of said inwardly projecting endv there-1 ofinto saiacnambera i l iV z Y l 1.12. `it cartridge-Torf! useliwith a hypodermicf holder and needle comprising a tubular member having end walls and a transverse intermediate Wall dividing said member into an aspiration chamber and a medicament chamber, said end Walls of said aspiration chamber, and at least the end Wall of said medicament chamber confronting said aspiration chamber, being selfsealing and pierceable walls, said aspiration chamber being at least partially evacuated, and being of a predetermined substantially iixed capacity, said medicament chamber containing a charge of medicament, and means to expel said medicament through a hypodermic needle from said medicament chamber upon the entmT therein of said needle.

13. A cartridge as described in claim 12, said means to expel said medicament comprising gas under pressure Within said medicament chamber.

14. A cartridge as described in claim 12, said means to expel said meicament comprising a piston member arranged to slide longitudinally in said medicament chamber in sealing relation with the interior thereof, said charge of medicament being contained between said piston member and the end Wall of said medicament chamber confronting said aspiration chamber, and a charge of compressed gas between said piston member and the other end of said medicament chamber.

15. A cartridge as described in claim 12, said means to expel said medicament comprising a piston plug forming the end Wall of said medicament chamber remote from said aspiration chamber, said plug being in sealing relation with the side Walls of said medicament chamber and mounted for longitudinal travel therein, and means to enable the manual driving of said piston plug against said medicament so that When said needle enters said medicament chamber, said plug is caused to move longitudinally Within said chamber and to expel said charge of medicament through said needle.

CHARLES B. GOODSTEIN.

MYRON B. MITTLEMAN.

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